BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 19. A tanker struck a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, causing an explosion and fire in the vessel’s engine room.
The incident was reported by the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an elite branch of Iran’s armed forces.
“The tanker, which violated the established rules, was damaged after striking a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz. An explosion and fire occurred in the vessel’s engine room,” the statement carried by Iranian state television and radio said.
According to the IRGC Navy, the vessel was attempting to leave the strait after switching off all positioning and navigation systems and disregarding the established rules for passage through the waterway.
The IRGC warned that strict and decisive measures would be taken against vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz with their navigation and identification systems switched off.